Tag: Iowa Hawkeyes

Chiefs scouting report: Iowa Hawkeyes RB Kaleb Johnson

The Kansas City #Chiefs could look to select a player like Iowa #Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson in the 2025 NFL draft.

Losing Isiah Pacheco to an injury for more than a month revealed that the Kansas City Chiefs need to add depth to their running back room. The 2025 NFL draft features several prominent running backs who could come off the board as early as the second round.

Iowa Hawkeyes standout Kaleb Johnson is a thickly built 225-pound running back with superb vision and contact balance. He uses precise footwork to make quick decisions and pick the right gaps. Johnson patiently presses close to the line of scrimmage while the run lane develops before fearlessly accelerating into the hole.

Johnson makes the most of his size by breaking through arm tackles, churning his legs through contact, and finishing plays falling forward. He makes defenders miss in open space with stiff arms, spin moves, and head and shoulder fakes. Johnson makes surprisingly sharp cuts and side steps for a running back with his size.

Johnson lacks the elite speed to erase pursuit, but analysts underrate his second-level burst. He challenges linebackers with his mid-play acceleration and uses his excellent open-field vision to set up blockers or find cutback opportunities.

Johnson’s agility puts a cap on his creativity. He struggles to make defenders miss in tight spaces and lacks the lateral explosiveness for sudden jump cuts. Johnson keeps his quarterback clean in pass protection but doesn’t have much experience running routes.

Caitlin Clark’s Iowa jersey retirement is happening on the perfect date

There was never a doubt.

The Iowa Hawkeyes have plans to retire Caitlin Clark’s jersey, and we wouldn’t expect anything less.

It’s not often that someone’s jersey goes up into the rafters just a season after they completed their college career. However, it’s probably a foregone conclusion once you have things like a special home-court decal commemorating the shot that made that person the leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball history. Obviously, they already have a resume worthy of such an honor.

So, it shouldn’t be shocking that the Hawkeyes would go all in on celebrating No. 22 with the perfect date to retire her jersey. When will it happen? On February 2, 2025 — yes, 2/2. Of course, Caitlin is scheduled to be in attendance as the Hawkeyes play USC. Grab the popcorn (and maybe some tissue), folks. This should be good.

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Chargers bolster backfield in Dane Brugler’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft

The Chargers select a running back in Dane Brugler’s latest projections.

With the regular season nearing an end, talk about the offseason, free agency, and the upcoming draft will only continue to surface.

In The Athletic’s Dane Brugler’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft, he has the Chargers selecting Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson with the No. 25 overall pick.

Here is what Brugler said about sending Johnson to Los Angeles:

Jeanty deserves every bit of praise he gets, but he isn’t the only running back in this class who will be considered in the first round. Johnson is a well-put-together athlete who runs with equal amounts power, patience and quickness. Add in that he doesn’t fumble and is reliable on passing downs, and you don’t have to squint to see why Jim Harbaugh might go this direction.

For some Chargers fans, neglecting other positions of need and taking a running back in the first round might be rich.

But look at who the head coach of the team is. Jim Harbaugh has made it clear that he wants to be a line-of-scrimmage team and gash opposing defenses on the ground.

The status of the running back room will be up in the air. J.K. Dobbins is currently injured and set to be a free agent. Gus Edwards will still be under contract but hasn’t proven himself as a three-down back.

Johnson ended the 2024 regular season with 1,537 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns. At 6 feet and 225 pounds, he is a well-rounded back who displays decisiveness as a runner, technically sound footwork, and upside in the passing game, both as a blocker and receiver.

 

Iowa’s Drew Stevens hilariously described blacking out on game-winning 53-yard field goal

All instinct for the Iowa kicker!

The Iowa Hawkeyes are once again celebrating a game they really had no business winning.

Against Nebraska on Friday night, Iowa had just five first downs to the Cornhuskers’ 20. The Hawkeyes were out-gained 334 yards to 164 (including 144-49 yards rushing) and held the ball for just 20 minutes compared to Nebraska’s 39.

Yet it all came down to a 53-yard field goal attempt at the end of the night by Iowa junior Drew Stevens.

Entering Friday, Stevens was 7-13 on kicks from 50 yards or further — including 3-7 this season. Maybe that’s partly why he described blacking out when he launched a game-winner against the Huskers that snuck right through the uprights.

Iowa 13, Nebraska 10.

“I black[ed] out, I have no idea,” Stevens said. “I don’t know how I got here, I don’t know how I got there. All instinct.”

It is extremely likely Stevens was one of many people on Iowa’s campus who said the same thing after Friday night.

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Expert score prediction: Nebraska vs. Iowa

Who will win on Friday?

The college football regular season ends this week, and for the first time since 2016, Nebraska will be going bowling. The Huskers are coming off a 44-25 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers last weekend, and now they have a chance to end the regular season on a high note when they travel to Iowa City to face their rival, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Iowa’s offense lives and dies by the run this season, averaging nearly 214 rushing yards and only around 134 passing yards per game. The Huskers can stop the run, allowing just 111 rushing yards a game. But Iowa is bound to break through here and there, which could get the Hawkeyes’ offense moving. 

The question lies between Iowa’s passing offense and Nebraska’s passing defense. Though the Hawkeyes barely throw the ball, it can exploit the Huskers’ secondary if the run game stalls. 

But Iowa is on its third-string quarterback, Jackson Stratton, who’s thrown 37 total passes across five games in his collegiate career. The Blackshirts could finally rebound by getting to Stratton early and often.

The Huskers’ offense picked up a lot of momentum in a short amount of time with Holgerson as offensive coordinator. The team brings a balanced offense, succeeding through the air and the ground this season. 

Iowa’s defense continues to pose a threat to every team it faces, allowing under 18 points per game. However, the Michigan State Spartans, the UCLA Bruins, and the Ohio State Buckeyes each put up over 200 passing and rushing yards on the Hawkeyes.

The Iowa State Cyclones and the Troy Trojans exploited the Hawkeyes with the deep pass early on in the season, with both teams bringing in a receiver that racked up over 130 yards and at least one touchdown off just five catches. 

Iowa’s last home loss was to Iowa State in September. But with Nebraska’s offense looking to continue its run and the Blackshirts’ ability to stop it, the Huskers stand in a strong position to get another win.

Score Prediction: Nebraska 27, Iowa 20

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UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger wins Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award

The Bruins linebacker received his flowers after another impressive Big Ten performance.

The UCLA Bruins won their first game at the Rose Bowl this season, taking down Iowa 20-17. One Bruin had a career day on defense on Friday night, and the Big Ten noticed.

UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against the Hawkeye, per the Big Ten account.

Entering Friday night’s game, the junior had not recorded a single interception in his collegiate playing career with the Bruins. But against Iowa, Schwesinger had two.

Adding seven tackles to his pair of picks, Schwesinger continued to show out for the Bruins against a formidable Iowa run game.

Schwesinger’s 92 total tackles this season rank third in the Big Ten, making him one of the front-runners for the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award. With three sacks and a forced fumble in 2024, Schwesinger is an impact player each and every week for the Bruins.

UCLA’s defense has been the backbone of its success this season, and Schwesinger has played an important part. With three games remaining on the schedule for the Bruins, Schwesinger looks to surpass the 100-tackle mark as the Bruins inch closer to bowl eligibility.

UCLA’s Friday night win over Iowa through the lens

Through the lens!

The UCLA Bruins hosted the Iowa Hawkeyes in a Friday night Big Ten Conference showdown. On top of that, it was a homecoming for UCLA. 

It ended on a good note as UCLA survived and got the 20-17 win on Friday night. It is the third straight win for UCLA as they get closer to bowl eligibility, somehow.

It was quite a performance from UCLA, which has wins over Rutgers, Nebraska, and Iowa in consecutive weeks as DeShaun Foster has turned things around after a 1-5 start.

There was a lot to like from this game, and here are some of the best photos from the Friday night clash.

Wisconsin’s loss to Iowa looks even worse after Hawkeyes crushed by UCLA

Wisconsin’s loss to Iowa looks even worse after the Hawkeyes’ loss at UCLA

Wisconsin’s 42-10 blowout loss at Iowa last weekend was as bad as the final score indicates.

The 32-point margin is the Badgers’ biggest loss to the rival Hawkeyes since 1968, Iowa’s 42 points are the most Wisconsin has allowed in the rivalry since 1975 and Iowa’s 329 total rushing yards are the most the Wisconsin program has allowed in a single game in nearly 12 years.

Related: Bye Week Report Card: Grading Wisconsin’s offense and Grading Wisconsin’s defense

Those numbers should paint the proper picture. The startling result was the low point of the Luke Fickell era to date — one that has had several of them.

That’s all reaction from last Sunday afternoon directly after the game. Somehow, now seven days later, the loss looks even worse.

That is because Iowa lost 20-17 to a 3-5 UCLA team on Friday night.

UCLA out-gained Iowa 415-265 and dominated the flow of the game. The margin would have been greater if it weren’t for two red-zone turnovers by Bruins QB Ethan Garbers.

The most striking stat, especially when compared to Iowa’s output against Wisconsin: UCLA out-rushed Iowa 211 (5.4 yards per carry) to 80 (2.6). The Bruins dominated the Hawkeyes in the trenches.

Normally, using the transitive property for results between teams isn’t a fair measure. Football is a week-to-week sport, with each game having its own identity and flow. That said, UCLA out-rushing Iowa by 131 yards one week after the Hawkeyes out-rushed the Badgers by 205 continues to shine a poor light on Wisconsin’s performance.

That perspective unavoidable, as is the context surrounding Wisconsin’s three-game win streak, for example. Purdue is 0-3 (1-7 overall) since losing to the Badgers, Rutgers is 0-2 (4-4 overall) and Northwestern is 1-1 (4-5 overall). There is a general trend surrounding Wisconsin’s schedule: its wins look less impressive and its losses continue to look worse — USC is now 2-5 in Big Ten play, as a further example.

These added pieces of context do not change Wisconsin’s 5-4 record and likely bowl fate. But they must be considered when discussing the quality of the Badgers’ wins, as well as the uncompetitive nature of some of the losses.

Wisconsin is back on the field in Week 12 at home against No. 1 Oregon. It then closes at Nebraska and vs. Minnesota. Positive on-field results are needed badly as Luke Fickell works to build momentum entering 2025.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

College Sports Wire has Iowa beating UCLA as ‘Best Bet of the Week’

Iowa picked here again.

The UCLA Bruins and Iowa Hawkeyes are facing off in a tough Big Ten Conference showdown on Friday night.

Iowa has six wins on the year and UCLA has back-to-back wins as DeShaun Foster’s program is heading in the right direction following a rough start.

Ahead of the game, a lot of people are picking Iowa, and rightfully so, even with UCLA’s recent surge as of late.

Patrick Conn of College Sports Wire picked Iowa to cover the spread and even had Iowa beating UCLA as his “Best Bet of the Week.”

“I am looking at the Iowa Hawkeyes (-6) matchup against the UCLA Bruins. While UCLA has played better in recent weeks, there has been an offensive explosion by Iowa. Not sure the Hawkeyes get to 40 points for the fourth time in five games but they handle UCLA this weekend.”

Sure, UCLA has played better, but Iowa is a tough team, even with Cade McNamara not playing. 

Athlon Sports predicts UCLA-Iowa winner

Prediction time!

The UCLA Bruins host the Iowa Hawkeyes in a tough Big Ten Conference showdown on Friday night.

Iowa has six wins on the year, but UCLA has back-to-back victories over Rutgers and Nebraska and is trending in the right direction.

Ahead of the game, Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports revealed why UCLA could win and gave his prediction for the game.

“If UCLA is going to pull off the upset, Garbers has to be efficient and mistake-free through the air and continue to add a pop to the ground game. The senior rushed for 48 yards against Rutgers and chipped in 56 versus Nebraska. Iowa is stingy through the air, but Garbers has a handful of talented weapons to stretch the field, including running back T.J. Harden (27 catches), tight end Moliki Matavao (24), and receivers Kwazi Gilmer (16) and Logan Loya (20).”

Lassan Picks Iowa to Get the Win

At the end of it, Lassan is sticking with Iowa to get the win but admits UCLA will give the Hawkeyes a run for the money.

“UCLA is trending in the right direction with wins in back-to-back games, but Iowa’s rushing attack and defense is a tough matchup. Look for the Hawkeyes to control the pace of the game and the line of scrimmage, giving Ferentz’s team an ability to pull away in the second half for the win.”

Prediction: Iowa 27, UCLA 17